Eggplant Gratin With Feta Cheese

This creamy and scrumptious Eggplant Gratin is smothered with a secret white sauce and topped with a generous layer or Gruyere cheese. It is a side dish that is so easy to make and will be gone before you know it.

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Eggplant Gratin

If you ever ask me what my favorite vegetable is, eggplant would be one of my top choices. I have tried so many recipes with eggplant and I seriously can’t get enough of this meaty vegetable.

In Ukraine, where I grew up, eggplants are crazy popular. We used to grow eggplants and as soon as they were ready to be picked, we loved incorporating them in appetizers, stews and make so popular in Ukraine and other post-Soviet countries Eggplant Caviar.

Because of eggplant’s thicker consistency, it can easily be used in a variety of vegetarian dishes as a great substitute for meat. In fact, some time ago, I made eggplant meatballs and my meat-lover husband couldn’t even tell they were vegetarian.

Recently, I made an awesome side dish – Eggplant Gratin. It has a French origin and you know that I’m obsessed with French cuisine.

I first made Eggplant Au Gratin for my husband’s birthday and everyone absolutely loved it.

As a matter of fact, what not love? Prebaked eggplant slices are layered with a rich tomato sauce, some basil leaves, drizzled with my secret creamy Feta cheese sauce and topped with Gruyere. Then everything is baked until bubbly perfection.

Believe me, this Aubergine Gratin (how they call it in England) goes really fast. You can make it for holidays or at other times throughout the year.

So much flavor and just like my new favorite French Chicken Gratin (have you had a chance to try it yet?), this Eggplant Gratin is a total comfort food.

So What Is Gratin

According to the sources, gratin means that the recipe is usually prepared in the oven or finished under the broiler so that a crispy crust was formed.

For the luscious crispy topping breadcrumbs and/or cheese are used.

Gratins are usually prepared in a shallow baking dish.

Nowadays, cooking Au Gratin became a very popular technique. And beside well-known Scalloped Potatoes or my new favorite Potato and Zucchini Gratin, cooks around the world started to use this method to prepare meat, seafood and all kinds of different vegetables.

If you make my Eggplant Au Gratin, snap a picture and post it on Instagram with a hashtag #lavenderandmacarons.

Eggplant Gratin Recipe Video

Eggplant Gratin With Feta Cheese

One of the BEST Eggplant recipes ever is right here! This EGGPLANT GRATIN or Aubergine Gratin makes a crowd-pleasing side dish! Tender eggplant is smothered with a fingerlickin tomato cream sauce, topped with Gruyere cheese and baked until bubbly perfection. It's a recipe you'll be making over and over again!

Instructions

Place sliced eggplant on a parchment lined baking pan (you might need to use 2 pans). Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper and brush with olive oil.

Bake for about 20 minutes until eggplant is tender.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine Crème fraîche, half and half and Feta cheese. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Stir in thyme and chives and set aside.

In 2.5-quart baking dish or gratin dish spread tomato sauce to cover the bottom. Place eggplant slices. They can slightly overlap each other. Spread tomato sauce once again and sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Gruyere cheese. Scatter 1-2 torn basil leaves over the sauce.

Continue layering with remaining eggplant, sauce and basil. Finish with pouring over the cream and Feta sauce and sprinkling with the remaining Gruyere cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and the top is browned. Serve warm.

Reader Interactions

Comments

Had all the ingredients on hand except the creme fraiche so subbed with sour cream. It was still great! It’s really the feta that sent it over the top for me. I’m pretty convinced this would work with ricotta or crema fresca as well. Love this recipe and will try it next time with creme fraiche (on my shopping list!). Five stars from me!

I simply love, love, love eggplant, aubergine or brinjal. I am always looking for new recipes to use this vegetable. Your recipe looks scrumptious and I will make it since I also love cheese. Thank you for this recipe.